Composition sign



2 Shepts-Sheet 1 w 4 5 A 4 4 w E W e 0 Z wfl fi m (I ml 42 mm wm NWW a cm W w/m N 0 WM June 3, 1930.

L. AIGRAHAM ET AL COMPOSITION SIGN Origina1 Filed Sept. 15. 1826 Patented June 3, 1930 UNITE STATES,

PATENT oF ice LOUIS A. GRAHAM, or Evansron, AND onrianns LOW, on cnrcae'o, ILLINOIS, "as

I SIGNORS or ONE-THIRD TQ energies wan-ms, or c rcAeo, runners COMPOSITION sren Original application filed September 15 1926, Serial No. 135,520; Divided and this 'ber 2-0, 1926. seriall 'o. 155,794.

5 cally distributed individual seats or positioning means in which such composing elements may be selectively located in delineation of devices, figures, characters or the like,forming a part or all of the sign, message or visual effect desired to be produced. V r

This invention relates more particularly to sign composing devices where the visual effect produced resultsfrom individual light sources, such as incandescent light bulbs, and the positioning means or light sockets are of any desired construction to receive incandescent light bulbs of various types, such as are supplied on the market, and for all types, are formed in definitely spaced rows definitely positioned in each row relative to each other, each row of sockets comprising a pair of spaced complementary bars recessed along their opposing faces toform a series of sockets, and one of said bars constituting a bus bar whereby electric current is conveyed to all of the sockets in parallel, eliminating the necessity of individual Wires but-relying,

on the socket forming bar itself by virtue of its construction to serve as a-connection for all of the lights in a single row as well as a up the sign. Due to these undesirable fea-' tures of signs employing individual preformed letters, in many instances, signs made up of individual letter composing means separately placed in a composing field of spaced receiving means have been resorted to, but here again, serious objections are en'- countered in that the seats or, positioning means, necessarily of a nature that will, adapt compositio application filed. Decemthem to resist displacement of the composing elements in all directions in the plane of the field, are equally spaced one from another in both longitudinal andtransverse directions of the field so that when it becomes necessary to locate the elements in a manner to develop upon the field a line at an angle to the two said directions orv in positions approximating a curve. the angular offset from those elements placed in a vertical or horizontal line is necessarily on a true d agonahor at an angle of 45, which, because of excessive spacing from other elements 1n the diagonal line and divergence from lines conventionally used, so illy simulate the outline desired as to detract-largely from theeffectiveness of the composition and necessitate resort to various distortions, particularly in forming lettersof the alphabet using inclined lines and curves.

The positioning means cannot be arbitrarily placed with a view to properly locating composing elements to define the lines of a specific design because this would develop improper spacing between some of the elements lying in horizontal or vertical lines, and therefore, defeat the availability of the field as a means for setting up any and every design at will.

The. object of the present inventionis ,to

remedy the defect above referred to and particularly to provide means whereby any and all parts of a composition field ofithekind 7 stated will be available to receive composing elements andsymmetrically space them, not only in horizontal and vertical lines, or lines diverging at and in diagonal lines, or lines of 45 to the horizontal and vertical, but also in lines diverging on either side of the vertical at angles much less than 45 or above and below the horizontah at angles much greater than459, and, therefore, indirections which are more commonly encountered in composing letters of. the alphabet,

for instance, angular letters such as A,-

IU, V and Y or those normally lI1VOlV- 1 ing curves and conventionally delineated on n signs, by a series of shortangular deflections, '4 -V r T In realizing thisadvantage, in a field of positioning sockets Where thefsockets are positioned as close together in each row as the size of the composing element will permit, it is necessary to provide other positioning means in intermediate spaces, or in other words, to provide positioning means the distance between the centers of which is less than, preferably one-half of, the overall diameter of the composing elements. It can be seen that the value of such an arrangement is realized when the distance between centers of the positioning means is less than the overall dimension of the composing -means.because if a composing element is di placed a distance equal to its width horizontally in one line relative to a composing means in the next above line, a line connecting the centers of these two composing elements will'be at a 45 angle to the vertical.

In practicing this inven ion, a field has been devised having in one line a series of part of the invention therein disclosed which relates to the formation of receiving means constituting electric sockets adapted to receive incandescent light bulbs and other matter common to the two applications, this application is a division.

In constructing a sign embodying the advantages set forth and claimed in our copending application, that is, adapted to receive and position incandescent lamp bulbs, a peculiar advantage is realized in the formation of the receiving means which assume an overlapped relationship by virtue of the fact that the overall dimension of each individual socket is greater than the distance between thecenters of adjacent sockets, in that the sockets can be formed of two complementary bars, one of which may serve as a bus bar which acts in the dual capacity of a supporting bar for the individual lamps and also as an electrical conductor conveying electric current to all of the light sockets in a single row in parallel, and in this respect eliminate the necessity of individual connections for each light bulb. The light sockets thus formed are positioned in parallel rows definitely spaced and a single bar is utilized as a common supporting means between adjacent rows, which in turn has the added function in some instances of forming a connection between adjacent rows of lights which are connected in parallel, connecting these rows in series when desired or serving as a common connector for adjacent rows in parallel. We propose in practicing this invention to place the second series of bus bars in a position to provide the second connection for two adjacent rows of light bulbs and to underlie the center line of these rows, and of insulating said second row of bus bars from said first row of bus bars whereby the entire field of light receiving sockets containing the light bulbs ,may be connected, 9

each bulb in a single row in parallel and in successive rows in series. It will be understood that alternate bars forming one of the complementary supporting members for ad'- jacent rows of lights will be either a nonconductor constructed of a non-conducting material, such as bakelite, or a metallic strip having the socket forming faces'on its opposite sides insulated from each other.

The bus bars in this arrangement present ends which extend beyond the lights and in close proximity to each other so that they may be readily connected together by merely placing a bar across the ends thereof in the event a parallel circuit is desired for the entire sign or any number of groups of bars may be interconnected in this manner to effect a parallel connection of a group of rows of lights and each group may then in turn be connected in series with each other through the common bus bar between these groups, it being understood that the same type of flexibility of connection is possible regarding the underlying bus bars as is true of the upper bus bars, the. connections in the latter case being always suitable to effect the proper connection according to the maner in which the upper bus bars are connected.

To this end, one of the ob ects of our invention is to provide an electric composing sign comprising a row of definitely positioned lamp receiving sockets, said row comprising a bus bar and a complementary supporting bar fashioned in their construction to form said row of lamp receiving sockets.

ing a-connection between each row either in series or in parallel, and in further provid ing in such a construction a second series of bus bars underlying the center line of each row of sockets adapted to form the other terminal of each light and said bus bars presenting ends in close proximity to each other to that they may be readily interconnected in a manner to form a parallel series relation ship of a variable nature, meaning that any number of or all rows of lights comprising the sign may be connected in parallel and each group of parallel connected lights con nected in series, or each row singly may be connected in series with the other rows. It is to be understood in this connection that the supporting bars may each be either a our invention; v

connected to formin efi'ect a: single bar structure.

Another object of our invention is, to profiedform of our nventlon and shows a sign,

vide a series of spaced parallel rows of lamp receiving sockets comprising spaced bars having complementary recesses on opposed faces forming said rows ofsockets, one of said bars being a bus bar for conveying electrical current in parallel to the'lights of a single row, and further, extending to the next adjacent row to formone of the terminais of the sockets of that row thereby forming a connection in series between adjacent. rows of parallel connected lights.

Another object of our invention is to'provide aseries of receiving sockets of the type described in the above stated objects in which the sockets are overlapping, or in other Words, thedistance between the centers of whichis less than the overall diameter of a single socket, which permits the displacementof a single composing means,.such asan incandescent lamp bulb, a distanceless than the overall dimension of the composing means. v

An-other object of our invention is to provide a composing sign of the type described in the above stated objects in which means are provided in each row of parallel connected lights for inserting resistance units, so

that the resistance of each parallel connected group in the series will be the same not-withstanding the fact that various rows will have a different number of lights in forming different letters or figures.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangement shown on the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sign constructed in accordance with our invention,

showing a plurality of horizontal rows vertically spaced'a distance equal to the overall dimension of the sign composing means, such as incandescent bulbs, and having. sockets in each horizontal row spaced a. distance less ted I in series Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation similar'to Figure 1, showing the composing light bulbs in position forming theletterfE Figure 4 is a cross sectional View similar to Figure 2 but of a slightly modified form of Figure 5 is an end view in cross section Figure 1, taken on the line 5*5";

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6"-6 of Figure 7, disclosing the structure of this modification;

Figure 7 is a plan View of two rows ofsockets constructed in accordance with the second modified form of our invention; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a simpli .in large outdoor-installations.

The various novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description anddrawin s, and will be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

field 10 consisting of a back strip v11 ofany suitableinsulating material,-such as fiber,

having mounted thereon a plurality of socket forming strips 12 and-13 spaced from the inner face of the back strip 11 by meansof edge strips 14:. The socket forming strips 12 are made of any suitable electrical conducting materiah such as brass, placed in alternate relationwlth the other socket form .ing strips 13 which are nonconductors and may be of insulating material such as fiber. Although the strips 13 are shown .on the drawing as made of insulating material, it is to be understood that they may be made of metal" provided they are properly insulated from the strips 12 ;and the bus bars 18, hereinafter referred to. The strips 12 and 13 are presented with their opposed faces in spaced relation and are provided with arcuate recesses 14;,oppositely aligned: tov form a plura-llty-of overlapplng recesses Referring tothe drawings, it will be noted that our invention GIHbOdlBS a composing or light sockets 15 adapted to receive I light bulbs 40. ,The light sockets 15 in the modification shown in Figure 1 are internally threaded as at. 16 so as to receive incandescent lamp bulbs of the type shown in Figure 2, provided with'a threaded shank, these light bulbs being representative of any type now supplied on the market. The

'socketforming strips are held against the back strip by means'ofuscrews 17positioned througho ut the length of the strip and extending into the back strip. The; entire as sembly is encased in an insulatingcover54.

Referring now to Figure2, it will be noted that there is provided a metallic strip in the nature of a bus bar 18 positioned beneath and insulated from, each of the socket forming strips 13 by an insulating blockf19, each of the bus bars 18 being of a width sufficient to extend to and beyond the center lineiof each of the adjacent rows of sockets, these bars being of a length sufficient to eXtend to the end of the composing field of the sign whereby they a-repositioned closely adjacent so that they may be conveniently interconnected for various electrical hookups.

/ In the illustration given in Figures 2 and 3, a series-parallel hookup is obtained, the current beingconnected to the bus bars 12 andthe righthand bus bar 18 as shown in 1'6- when the sockets are in place from the ligl ments in the structure. adapted to underlie the insulating member 32 which pro ects through the opening 3a.

the: Figure 2. The current then passes through the bottom row of lights in parallel, and then through the other rows in series, all of the lights-in any particular row being in parallel.

Referring to the modification shown in Figures 4 and 5, it will be noted that the general arrangement is the same as above described, the sign comprising a composing field having aback strip 21 and a second insulating strip 22 carrying a plurality of flexible bus bars 23 underlying the non-conducting socket forming bar and insulating strip 19 and extending to the center line of the adjacent rows of sockets. The socket forming members in this modification are substantially similar to the modification shown in Figure 2, except t at they are stamped from sheet metal and are adapted to receive lights 41 having smooth shanks constructed for a bayonet joint connection, the sockets having suitable slots 42 and locking grooves 43, as shown in Figure 5. The

bars 24 constitute the bus bars in the socket forming means, whereas the bars 25 constitute the complementary supporting bars, i being noted that the two halves of the ba 25 are separated by an insulating strip 2 to prevent short cirouiting of the'cur n socket in one row to the light sockets in the adjacent row. The bus bars 23 in this modification are necessarily of a resilient type in that it is necessary that they contact the light at the terminal 27 and by virtue of the bayonet type of connection, a slight movement must be permitted at the base contact.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, it will be noted that this modification of our invention embodies a plurality of rows of sockets formed in the same manner as those in the other modification with the exception that each row has a bus bar in common with the next adjacent row, the underlying bus bar or bar contacting the tips at the base of the lights, comprising a plurality of flexible extensions of the socket forming bus bars of the next ad acent row. The sockets are formed from two spaced complementary bars 30 and 31, the bar 30 forming the bus bar connecting all the lights in that par: ticular row in parallel and the bar 31 being insulated by means of the insulating blocks 32'and 33 from the electrical conducting ele- The bus bar 30 is in the bus bar and is held against the backing strip 35 by means of a screw 36 and nut 37. Extending toward the adjacent row of light sockets are a plurality of flexible tongues 38 integral with the bus bar 30 and positioned centrally of said row in a manner to contact the terminal 39 at the base of the )5 inserted electric light- 44:. This modification is also provided with a bayonet connection with the light socket, a slot 45 being provided in the bus bar element adapted to receive the projection 46 for the shank of the bulb. In this modification, the same advantages of the series-parallel hookup are realized, it being only necessary to connect the opposite terminals of the two outside rows of lights with the two poles of the current source to effect a series connection of all of the rows, and to connect alternate bus bars throughout, one set with one terminal of the current source and the other with the other terminal of the current source or any portion thereof, in this manner, to group certain rows in parallel and to connect the successive groups in series.

The modification of our invention shown in Figure 8, it will be noted, embodies an all parallel connected group of lights, all of the sockets 53 being formed in a single metallic plate 50 which is connected to one of the terminals of the current source, whereas the other terminal of the current source is connected to a plurality of bars 51 underlying each row of sockets and connected as by means of a bus bar 52, these underlying bars being insulated from the socket forming plate. at is the purpose of this invention to include a structure in-which the plate is substituted by a plurality of'metallic interconnected bars and also one in which the underlying bars 51 are replaced by a plate, the

inventive idea residing in the formation of an all parallel connected sign in'which'the sockets are all formed in a common current conveying element in the nature of a bus plate or group of bus bars.

In operation, it can be seen that we have devised an electric composing sign of great flexibility both in the ability to form letters having the correct angular and curved formations in that we have provided positioning means which will permit composing elements in one row to be horizontally displaced a distance less than the overall dimension or the composing element and in this respect, this invention embodies all the advantages set forth in our co-pending application above referred to. In practicing this advantage, it has been found necessary in order to adapt a sign to the conventional and knowntypes of light bulbs as are now supplied on the market, to provide a spacing between the light receivingsockets in a single row, in this instance, the horizontal row, less than the diameter of the sockets which has resulted in the formation of a plurality of arcuate recesses in the sides of the supporting bars. It is by virtue of this arrangement that the advantages specifically set forth in this application are realized, in that the supporting bars referred to may be made as electrical conductors or bus bars serving to connect all of the light composing elements in a single bulbs are of small voltage, a greater number of rows may be placed in series to efi'ect a completely connected field of light, each light of which is subjected only to the voltage of its capacity. When it is desired to connect in series a pluralityof groups of parallel connected lights, resistance units are inserted in various groups of parallel connected lights to bring the resistance of each group up to that of the group containing the maximum number of lights. In the eventthat a sign is desired where bulbs of high voltage may be used, it is possible to readily connect the entire composing field of lights in parallel by merely placing the connectingbar across the ends, the ends being shown at. the left hand side of Figure 1,1of the bus bars 12 and further, placing a connecting bar across the ends of the bus bars 18 underlying the various roWs of light sockets. it is possible by etlecting the proper electric connections at the exposed ends of the bus I bars to connect any number of rows in parallel in the same manner as abovedescribed, and in turn connecting successive groups of parallel connected rows in series. This possibility offers a great flexibility in connecting the sign and in adapting the type ofsign employed and the voltage of the bulbs to the voltage of the current available for use.

. We claim:

1. Electric composing slgns comprising a f plurality of definitely spaced rows of definitely positioned receiving sockets, each,com-' prising a bus bar and a supporting bar fashioned to provide in their opposed faces complementary recesses formiing said rows of sockets, and other bus bars underlying each row of sockets. k

2. Electric composing signs comprising a row of definitely positioned lamp receiving sockets, said row of sockets comprising abus bar and a complementary supporting bar fashioned in their construction to torin said row of lamp receiving sockets, and a second bus bar positioned between and below said first named bus bar and said complementary sup porting bar.

3. Electric plurality of parallel rows of definitely posi-' tioned lamp sockets, two adjacent rows of sockets comprising two busbars, and an intermediately spaced complementary sup On the other hand,

composing signs comprising a porting ba r common to both rows, fashioned in their construction to form said rows of lamp sockets, and "a second bus bar underlying eac h row of sockets and insulated from said bus bars. I

4:- Electric composing signs comprising 'a plurality of rows of definitely positioned lamp sockets, two adjacent rows of-jsockets comprising an intermediate bus bar'common to both rows, and two spaced complementary supporting bars, all of said bars being fash- 'io-n'ed in their construction to formsaid rows of sockets, and a bus bar "underlying each of said rows of sockets and insulated from said first mentioned bus bar. r 7 5, Electric composing signs comprislng a plurality of rows of de-finitelypositioned lamp sockets, said rows of sockets comprising a plurality of bus bars and complementarysupportingbars,saidbusbars and complementary supporting bars being'alternately positioned and fashioned in their constructi on to form said rows of sockets,-and other busb'ars underlying each complementary bar and eX- tending to the center of adjacent rows of:

sockets and insulated from said first named bus bars.

6. A deviceof the character described com- I prising a plurality of parallel rows of lamp receiving sockets, eachrow ofsocketscomprising a pair of spaced bars fashioned in their construction to form said row'of sockets, one of said bars for B'2.Chf1C'OW"b6lIlg a b'usibar, and "a second bus bar positioned to underlie each row of sockets.

7. A'device of the character described com prising-a plurality-of parallel rows of lamp receivingfsockets, each row of sockets com prising a pair of spaced bars fashioned in theirconstructlon to form saldrow "of sockets, one of said bars for each row being a bus'bar and constructedto form a'portion of the iiextadjacent row of sockets to conduct current thereto and other electrical conducting' means for "each; row of sockets.

8. A'device of the character described comprising a plurality of parallel rowsof lampreceiving sockets, each row of sockets com risin' a air'ots aced'barsfashioned in V their construction to form saidrow of socket's,foneof said bars 'for eachrow being 7 bus bar and extended tofform a bus barfor the next'adjacentrow, having portions] u'n- ,derlying n'ext'adj'acent row and other' electrical conducting means for each row of j q sockets.

adjacent bars fashioned in their construction a plurality of lights positioned therebetween,

said-barsconstituting a bus bar *formingone terminal of the connection for said lights, and interconnected -mea'ns underlying each 3 device'of the character describedcomF prising a plurality of spaced supporting bars,

Q f plementary holdm m I light forming the other connection for said lights.

10. Electric composing signs having a row of lamp receiving sockets comprising a pair of spaced parallel bars, fashioned in their construction to provide complementary lamp positioning and holding portions at least one of said bars being a bus bar and other electrical conducting means for said row of :lamp receiving sockets.

11. Electric composing signs having a row 'of lamp receiving sockets comprising a pair of spaced parallel bars, fashioned in their construction to provide complementary lamp positioning and holding portions, with thecenter of each socket in predetermined spaced relation, at least one of said bars being a bus bar and other electrical conduct ing means for said roW of lamp receiving sockets. 1 g

I 12. In electric composing signs, a pair of spaced parallel bars, said bars having on theiropposed faces, at predetermined intervals, oppositely disposed complementary recesses,,forming a row of lamp receiving sockets, at least one of said bars being a bus bar and other electrical conducting means for said roW of lamp receiving sockets.

13. In electric composing signs, a pair of spaced parallel bars, said bars having on their opposed faces, at predetermined intervals, oppositely disposed complementary recesses, forming a row of lamp receiving sockets, one/of said bars being a bus bar, and

V a second bus bar associated With said sockets co-convey current to the lamps mountedin said row and other electrical conducting means for said row of lamp receivingsockets.

14;. In electric composing signs, a composing field, comprising a plurality of spaced parallel bars, said bars having on their opposed faces at predetermined intervals oppositely disposed complementary recesses,

" tain of said bars being bus bars for the lamps in said rows, and other bus bars associated With said rows of sockets to complete I the circuit for the lamps mounted in said rows.

' 16. In an electric composing sign, a pair of spaced parallel bars, said bars having on their opposed faces at predetermined in tervals complementary recesses, forming a row of lamp receiving sockets, said sockets being in overlapped relation, and at least one of said bars being a'bus bar and other electrical conducting means for said rows of lamp receiving sockets.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 8th clayof December, 1926. I

' LOUIS A. GRAHAM.

CHARLES L. LOW. 

